By Kailey Brennan and Emily McCrary-Ruiz-Esparza
Marketing is one of the highest-paying careers that requires only a bachelor’s degree. Students with marketing degrees come out of school with a diverse set of skills that can land them in jobs as writers, fundraisers, product developers, business strategists, and even executives.
Working at Ogilvy is a pretty enviable setup for many marketing majors, but there are a myriad opportunities beyond the walls of traditional ad agencies. Here are five of them.
1. Event coordinator/planner
This is a job for someone who doesn’t want to be forever tethered to a desk. Event planners might organize weddings, alumni gatherings, press conferences, campus events, professional conferences, training sessions, or corporate or promotional events. If you are energetic, great with time management, organization, and communication, you might find this position rewarding—and never boring. Event planners make an average salary of $50,000. There are also a number of certifications you can go after to level-up your paycheck, such as Certified Special Events Professional (CSEP), Certified Government Meeting Professional (CGMP), or Certified Professional in Catering and Events (CPCE).
Read more:How to Find a Job You Love (No, Really)
2. Fundraiser
Fundraisers might work for nonprofit organizations, educational institutions, religious organizations, health research foundations, social services organizations, or political campaigns. Some of their job responsibilities include researching prospective donors, creating a strong message to appeal to donors, organizing public events, and securing sponsorship from corporate organizations. This requires the social, rhetorical, and organizational skills you developed in school. Employers typically look for bachelor's degrees in marketing or public relations when hiring. Salaries for fundraisers will vary by industry, but you can expect to make between $40,000 and $60,000 a year —only going up with more experience.
Read more:Are Networking Events Actually Worth It? Here’s What the Data Says
3. UX designer
User experience (UX) designers fuse form and function to create effective digital experiences. They are tasked with translating product requirements into real products (and sometimes testing those products as well). Think of yourself as part psychologist, part anthropologist, part product architect, and part digital designer. A bachelor's in marketing can get you an entry-level position, but you’ll also need to have expertise in languages and tools like Javascript, HTML, CSS, and Flash. UX designers average a handsome $90,000 salary, and even more with experience.
4. Web content writer/manager
Web content writers create all kinds of content for, well, the web. They might write blog posts, marketing copy, emails, landing page copy, digital ad copy, or copy for social media. Skills like SEO, brand building, social media, and data analytics can help you land a role like this. With lots of freelance opportunities available, a content writing is also a great side hustle. Web content managers pull down an average $64,000 annually.
5. Product manager
Product managers lead or assist in the development and maintenance of products—that might be something physical, like a line of cookware; something digital, like software; or a service, like a credit card. Product management is an important organizational role, and one that has a lot of potential for upward mobility because you plan a vital role in a company’s success. In this role you would analyze the market, set product vision, and ensure a functional product is developed and delivered. Product managers man an average of $64,000 per year, with plenty of room to grow as you gain experience—directors of product management average $164,000 a year.
